THE SOUL LIBRARY
THE SOUL LIBRARY is a book-lover’s weekly healing circle, where together we journey through soul-nourishing, spiritual books.
Our aim is not to ‘fix’ ourselves, but to make peace with the ebbs and flows of growth, of life and transitions, of being human.
Imagine having a team of personal cheerleaders, supporting and encouraging you through your buoyancy and your joy, through your struggles and your pain. A circle of fellow humans walking with you, championing you, no matter what mood you’re in or what’s going on in your life.
This is the Soul Library.
If you’ve ever felt the frustration and sadness of not being truly seen or heard, of not being fully accepted for who you are, then this is the medicine.
“Olivia’s Soul Library is the most calming, supportive group I’ve ever been a part of. I truly feel I can be myself and I can be seen. the space that she holds is so special. I feel more myself in the world after I’ve met with everyone. It feels both empowering and gentle, and really beautiful – like true connection. She’s amazing, and the Soul Library has been life-giving and life-altering in a very positive way.” ~ Shannon H.
THE CIRCLE
• We meet once a week in a deeply nourishing, safe and loving space, to share our hearts, our stories, our experiences.
• We read inspirational, transformational books at a very gentle pace, sharing with each other our experiences and insights about what we’ve read each week. Our conversations are based on what we read but extend and encompass so much more. We breathe life into the words on the page.
• We explore and discuss spiritual ideas, concepts and practical exercises.
• We hold space for ourselves and each other, welcoming all emotions, all moods, all experiences. This is a space for laughter and for tears, for joy and for pain.
• We show up as our glorious, shining, authentic, wounded, imperfect selves and come together to form a truly unique healing circle.
This is a community where our stories no longer have to be swallowed, they can be shared.
"Something magical happens in The Soul Library. Out of all the groups I belong to, this is the one where I feel most at home. It’s a space where I can just be myself, laugh, cry, be heard and be understood. The sense of identification and connection I feel in this group is really remarkable. It’s the anchor of my week and if for some reason I can’t make it, I really feel it!”
"Never before have I been able to be so unapologetically me and still been loved and accepted. The Soul Library creates a safe, sacred space for me to let down my barriers and show my vulnerability, whilst exploring new ideas and new ways of thinking. I feel loved and held in this circle of warmth and have experienced a huge spiritual growth in the 2+ years I have been attending.
The way I think and the beliefs I hold have expanded beyond anything I could ever have imagined. To be able to explore the genre of self-healing books in such a wonderful setting is truly a blessing, it’s one of my favourite places to be!"
"Olivia made me fall in love with books again. Her space is that warm feeling you had as a kid, when you would hide under your blankets trying to finish that last chapter. The Soul Library was my first book club and I can’t imagine my life without the love and insight of all the ladies that join together each week. To come together in sisterhood, for the love of books and in genuine community, sparks creativity and fills you with fullness. Olivia has a true gift for holding space with tenderness and it has been a beautiful part of my growth process to allow this joy in my life."
"Being part of such a supportive book group, guided by Olivia's kind words and open approach, has been a heart opening experience for me. Our conversations have truly changed the way I think about the world and my place in it."
Choose the time slot that works for you –
IN-PERSON
• Monday 10-11.30am
open to people of all genders
• Wednesday 7.30-9pm
open to all who identify as women
• Sunday 10.30-12pm
open to all who identify as women
ONLINE
• Monday 7.30-9pm
open to all who identify as women
WHAT YOU WILL RECEIVE
• You will be part of a community of people all deeply committed to their own healing and equally committed to supporting you thrive.
• You will be given the opportunity to share openly and freely about your own experience in an attentive, non-judgmental environment.
• You will be listened to, supported and held unconditionally.
• You will receive mountains of inspiration and motivation for your own, independent self-care and meditative practices.
• You will form nourishing connections with other people, who may well become life long friends.
Witnessing is one of the extraordinary powers of community. There are certain passages and initiations that require the presence of others to help hold the bigness of the new narrative while it stabilises in our bodies, minds and hearts.
Bearing witness is also a privilege, as it awakens a symmetry of transition in our own becoming.
~ Toko-pa Turner
Every single human shares the same basic needs – to be seen, to be heard, to be known. We are wired for connection with other humans. We are wired to seek safety – physically and emotionally – above all else.
Being witnessed and bearing witness are therefore integral for our growth, our expansion, our transformation.
In every day relationships this doesn’t always happen. We often become so wrapped up in our own stories and own patterns, slaves to our minds and nervous systems, that we’re unable to hold space for the people who most trigger us.
When sitting in circle, we are gifted a precious opportunity to readdress our patterns, reengage our thoughts and re-emerge into those previously troubled relationships, eyes and bodies afresh.
It makes me believe in magic.
HOW TO DECIDE IF THIS CIRCLE IS FOR YOU
The Soul Library is for you if:
• you’re already on a personal healing journey and would like to deepen your commitment to yourself
• you’re looking for a deeply supportive community of like-minded people
• you love the kind of books that we read with our hearts, not our heads
• you’re looking for more inspiration and motivation to maintain and expand your spiritual/ self-care practises
• you’re looking for a circle where trust and relationships build between members, instead of more anonymous one-off events
• you’re in recovery from addiction/ mental health challenges and you’d like more support for your journey
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You would be free to share as little or as much as you’re comfortable with. Sharing is always an invitation and choice, never compulsory.
I’M REALLY BUSY & WORRIED I WOULDN’T BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE READING EACH WEEK. HOW MUCH READING IS THERE?
We read the books at a really gentle, manageable pace. Usually 20-30 pages a week.
I’M LOOKING FOR A SHARING CIRCLE. HOW CLOSELY DO YOU STICK WITH THE BOOKS?
The books are a framework upon which the circles are structured. We extract themes and ideas from the books and then expand on those in relation to our own experience.
The books are a gentle guide to contain our conversations, but we share on so much more than the text itself. We share our hearts, our lives, our wounds. We are in no way constricted by the words on the page.
ARE THE BOOKS RELIGIOUS?
No. We read books that explore healing on a psychological, spiritual and physiological level. Each individual is supported in finding their own unique tapestry of techniques and modalities that work for them.
IS IT ONLINE?
There are 4 different groups to choose from – 3 in-person, 1 online via Zoom.
Depending on your location and availability, you can choose which one suits you best.
"This group has had a profound and uplifting effect on my life. I feel listened to, supported and valued. I have learned so many new techniques and approaches to many issues and it's a brilliant way to make sense of the sometimes confusing genre of self-literature. The group brings me an enormous sense of peace and calm to my day. Best book club I've ever belonged to!"
"The atmosphere is incredibly supportive and the other members' contributions really help me to grasp concepts in a deeper way. They also make me smile, laugh and know that I am not alone in my feelings, worries and aspirations."
"A wonderful safe and open space to explore and respond - brilliant to be accountable with such lovely people. I love this approach to discover and learn together."
"I have learned so much from belonging to The Soul Library - more from our conversations than from the books! Olivia is amazing and the group is amazing - we all learn so much from her."
WHAT BOOKS DO YOU READ?
• The Body Keeps the Score – Bessel van der Kolk
• When the Body Says No – Gabor Mate
• Radical Compassion – Tara Brach
• A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson
• Non-Violent Communication – Marshall Rosenberg
• The Wisdom Of Anxiety – Sheryl Paul
• The Untethered Soul – Michael Singer
• Discovering the Inner Mother: Healing the Mother Wound – Bethany Webster
• Belonging – Toko-pa Turner
• The Wise Heart – Jack Kornfield
• Becoming Safely Embodied – Deirdre Fay
• How to do the Work – Nicole LePera
• If Women Rose Rooted – Sharon Blackie
• It’s not Always Depression – Hilary Jacobs Hendel
• The Deep Heart – John Prendergast
• The Courage to be Disliked – Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga
A SAFE SPACE
The Soul Library is a safe space where we can drop our masks and truly be heard in our authentic self-expression.
The spaces I create are all lovingly crafted and trauma-informed, with some gentle guidelines to ensure everybody feels safe.
Most human interactions, even the most nurturing ones, are peppered with interruptions, interjections, opinions, judgements and advice. Even ‘well meaning’ advice.
In circle, we strip back these sticky layers of communication and remove it all. It becomes just us and our voices. Sharing and listening. Sharing and listening.
No interjections. No advice. No feedback.
We share our most vulnerable parts to enormous hearts, knowing eyes and silent lips, and in that space we feel seen.
To be truly witnessed and to witness others is a delicately potent container for transformation. I don’t think I’d be here today had I not been introduced to circle magic.
We share only about our own experiences, being mindful of ‘I’ statements vs. ‘you’ statements, and we don’t offer any advice or feedback. This is a transformative space, not a prescriptive space.
We also refrain from interrupting when people are sharing, and are invited to be conscious of the length of time we speak, to ensure each member has equal time and space to share their voice.
“A circle of women may just be the most powerful force known to humanity. If you have one, embrace it. If you need one, seek it. If you find one, for the love of all that is good and holy, dive in. Hold on. Love it up. Let them see you. Let them hold you. Let your reluctant tears fall. Let yourself rise fierce and love gentle. You will be changed. The very fabric of your being will be altered by this, if you allow it. Please, please allow it.” ∼ Jeannette LeBlanc
HOW TO JOIN
Membership of THE SOUL LIBRARY is priced at £25/ month.
There are only 10 spaces available in each circle.
IN-PERSON
• Monday 10-11.30am
open to people of all genders
• Wednesday 7.30-9pm
open to all who identify as women
• Sunday 10.30-12pm
open to all who identify as women
ONLINE
• Monday 7.30-9pm
open to all who identify as women
New members are welcome when we start a new book, if we’re not at capacity.
Please email me for availability of spaces and for info on how to join.
Any questions at all, please just ask! Drop me an email here.